Have you heard of mycelium? If you’ve read our blog post mentioning mushroom dresses you might have. But now this eco-friendly material is being used in even more new ways!
Ikea Is Replacing Their Polystyrene Packaging With Mushrooms!
Sometimes we feel like polystyrene packaging is unavoidable on things like big appliances, but not for long!
Posted by 1 Million Women on Tuesday, April 3, 2018
What’s Mycelium?Mycelium is the root system of certain types of mushrooms. This network of fine, white filaments can be grown and molded into shapes, then dried and used for all kinds of things—like packaging, acoustical materials and building projects.
Best of all once it has served its purpose, mycelium-based packaging can be composted and returned to nature in an almost-perfect, waste-free, pollution-free lifecycle.
Mushrooms Are Popping Up Everywhere!It seems there’s no end to the kinds of things that are currently (or soon could be) made from the naturally antimicrobial mycelium. From bricks to furniture to leather, a wide variety of materials are finding new “roots” in this lightweight yet oh-so-strong substance.
Check out this video from Science Friday featuring Philip Ross, Chief Technology Officer of the San Francisco-based startup MycoWorks. He shares how his company uses mushrooms to create environmentally friendly products much faster and using less energy than it takes when using traditional materials.
Amazing MyceliumWith all the remarkable qualities of mycelium, it’s no wonder that this substance is finding a home in more and more products! Here’s just a short list of some of the kinds of things that can be made from mycelium:
Do you think mushrooms will play an important role in the future of the automotive and housing industries? Would you purchase an item made from mycelium? Please share your thoughts with other readers in the comments below!Resources:
I don’t think mushrooms, by them selves, can replace plastics. I don’t think any one alternative will win the day. A blend will probably prove to be what is needed to eliminate plastic. Paring the alternative plastic, in combination with the energy consumption, and the function will be a nice problem to have to sort out.
My Aunt is allergic to mushrooms. Now this is when they are ingested, but I wonder how packaging would effect her.
Like all these things, we have to be inventive with our solutions, no one thing will solve all the problems but it’s a great start and not before time.
I’m allergic to chocolate. Just the smell will give me a migraine. When I did PTA one of the parents was allergic to latex. It was so bad she couldn’t help with the balloons! I guess it just depends on her level of allergy. I wonder what the carbon footprint is on mushrooms. Just because it seems better it might not be better. >^,,^<
Go mushrooms 🙂
I voted yes because SOMETHING has to be done1 Mushrooms, corn, hemp, bamboo……..
Would the mushrooms start growing again if the right conditions occurred or is the plant matter dead once it is being used?
That’s a great question, Ami! I tried searching online but couldn’t find a definitive answer to your question. My guess is that the plant material dies once it’s used, similar to wood used to make furniture, etc. (but I stress the word “guess”).
This is amazing. Really hope its implemented worldwide instead of plastic.
LOVE that so many are working hard for alternatives – would love to see an end to styrofoam packaging!!!